


“I miss my family”

by Prototype0



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Childhood Memories, F/M, Inspiration, Marriage, Memories, Tinkering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 19:43:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14479818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prototype0/pseuds/Prototype0





	“I miss my family”

Vex, eagerly tapping her foot, looking around the hall, waiting anxiously for this afternoon meeting to be over with. Percy was not present at this meeting, but Cassandra’s strong voice gave Vex the small bit of reassurance she needed to keep her from feeling lost during this meeting.

Before she knew it, she was briskly walking down the halls of the Whitestone castle. Desperate to see her husband, Vex was moving so fast she almost ran into a few servants. She rounded the corner before Percy’s workshop and found his door closed.

Vex blinked. Normally Percy’s door is left open, she thought to herself. She hesitated. Once clarity came to her mind, she knocked on the workshop door.

Silence followed.

Vex was about to knock again when she heard her husband’s voice. “Come in.”

Vex opened the door. The sunlight peered through the window and landed perfectly on Percy’s pale face. Vex sighed. She hadn’t seen her husband all day and seeing him in his natural habitat brought a smile to her face that she couldn’t contain.

“Darling”, Vex cooed, “did inspiration strike you again?” Vex waltzed into the workshop and plopped herself on the desk so she could see her husband’s face. “We missed you at the meeting this afternoon.” Vex ran her hand along Percy’s forearm.

“Yes.” Percy replied. His face was stern, focused. He didn’t move an inch, not even to Vex’s casual touch.

“Maybe this time you’ll actually finish what you’re trying to build” Vex teased as she interlaced her fingers with Percy’s.

There was no response from Percy.

Normally, he would have some witty retort to Vex’s teasing, but not this time. This time it was easy to see the focus on Percy’s face. His brow furrowed, his lips tight. Vex noticed he was sweating, which was odd for being in the cold workshop.

“I’ll have the servants bring you dinner then?” mumbled Vex, still holding firmly onto Percy’s hand.

A few seconds of silence passed before Percy muttered “Please.” He gave his wife a squeeze of her hand and then let go.

Vex sighed again. She loved how, without words, she was able to sense every emotion he was feeling. Something was troubling her husband. Something new. Vex wanted to ask, but she knew she should just let him build.

Vex leaned in and kissed Percy on the cheek.

“I love you, darling.” cooed Vex.

“I love you.” Percy responded. His voice was softer when he said this.

Vex hopped off the table and walked to the workshop door. She paused for a second, then she pulled the door shut and walked down the hall. Perhaps she would go hunting with trinket today.

The next few days went by slowly. Vex kept herself busy with the usual Whitestone business and hunting. She would ask the servants daily if Percy was eating his dinner, and if he was doing well. The servants would tell her that he is eating and he’s been working anytime they go to check on him. Sometimes the door is locked, but he’s doing fine, they reassure Vex.

Finally, after a week of this, Vex wandered by Percy’s workshop and the door was wide open.

Vex rushed into the workshop and found her husband with his back faced toward her. Vex briskly walked in while saying “Finished, darling?”

As Vex walked up to her husband, she found him standing in front of an intricate machine that made an occasional ticking noise. Small gears whirred, changing speed and direction in perfect harmony. Vex also started unconsciously counting the ticks and found that the ticks were perfectly spread out. There were nine spokes that moved in unison in a circular motion. Each ticking noise was followed by the movement of another spoke.

“It’s beautiful” Vex whispered, “what is it?”

“A clock” Percy said in an exasperated, yet delighted tone.

They stood in silence and just listened to the ticking of the clock. Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick….

After a minute of ticking Vex finally spoke “Do you feel better?”

Vex could feel her husband deflate. Percy turned towards Vex and put his forehead on Vex’s shoulder. Vex turned, embraced Percy, and spoke “I’ll take that as a no?”

“I… I… ” Percy stuttered. Vex could feel his lip quivering and hugged him harder.

“I… miss… my family” Percy finally managed to say through the tears that were starting to form in his eyes.

Suddenly Vex remembered that there were 9 total people in Percy’s family. Vex could feel a teardrop form in her eye.

“I miss my family” Percy said. Tears poured down his face and on to Vex’s clothing.

“I know you do, darling” Vex held her husband’s head on her shoulder.

They sat there for a while, listening to the ticking until it slowed to an eventual stop.

Once the couple collected themselves, Percy sat down and reached for a small handle.

“I miss my family” Percy whispered as he turned the handle and wound the clock up again.


End file.
